Jenifer Lewis, the Broadway and “Black-ish” television star known for her high kicks, revealed that an accident in the African Serengeti left her with shoulder and hip injuries.
The 67-year-old artist said she fell 10 feet from a hotel balcony while visiting the famous safari destination in 2022. She told “Good Morning America” host Robin Roberts in a clip of an interview that aired on Tuesday: “I was shocked. .”
Lewis said: “In the dark, I didn't know I was falling. Nothing would move.”
Immediately after the “Black-ish” series finale in 2022, Lewis, an avid traveler, said she booked a trip to Africa, where she visited various parts of the continent, including Cape Town in South Africa and Rwanda. “We're so sorry,” she told Roberts. “Let's go where the real people are.”
A wildlife safari in the Serengeti was part of Lewis' itinerary, he said, but his travels took a turn for the worse when he checked into his hotel room. The author and self-proclaimed “Mother of Black Hollywood” said she did not receive a room tour and explored the rooms herself.
“They should have given me a tour,” he said before detailing how he went to his balcony to see the terrace and infinity pool. She told Roberts that one balcony space was not cordoned off and had no warning signs.
“I was walking and suddenly… I had fallen 10 feet into a dry ravine full of boulders, stones and sharp rocks,” he said.
Despite the pain, Lewis said she was encouraged to call a friend who accompanied her on the trip. However, when her friend used a flashlight to locate Lewis, she discovered that the actor was not alone in the dark. According to Lewis, a Cape buffalo and a lion were near where he had fallen.
Lewis said that shortly after his fall, while waiting for medical assistance, he reflected on his mortality.
“My last thought, because I'm Jenifer Lewis, was, 'What a headline,'” she said, laughing. “'The king ate the queen: pieces of Jenifer Lewis' body [are] being flown back to the United States.'”
After “GMA” aired the preview of Lewis' conversation, Roberts told his co-hosts that the “Mystery Men” and “The Preacher's Wife” actor said he was keeping his downfall private “until I can show you how I feel.” I raised”. .'”
Lewis will review his debilitating fall and recovery when his full interview with Roberts airs Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.
